The present disclosure relates to a vehicle, and more particularly to a self-explaining autonomous vehicle.
Automated vehicles are those in which at least some aspects of a safety-critical control function, e.g., steering, throttle, or braking, occur without direct driver input. Vehicles that provide safety warnings to drivers but do not perform a control function are, in this context, not considered automated, even though the technology necessary to provide that warning involves varying degrees of automation. Automated vehicles may use on-board sensors, cameras, GPS, and telecommunications to obtain information in order to make judgments regarding safety-critical situations and operate appropriately by effectuating control at some automation level.
Vehicle automation has been classified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to range from no automation through full automation. Full automation performs all safety-critical driving functions and monitors roadway conditions for an entire trip and may need only that the driver provide destination or navigation input, but not control at any time during the trip. Such full automation includes both occupied and unoccupied autonomous vehicles.
The automated self-drive system typically conveys status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including illuminating elements of the vehicle. The location or color of the illumination may indicate the status of the automation. As vehicle automated systems become more sophisticated, however, it may become more difficult for the driver to readily understand system requirements.